RESPOND THOUGHTFULLY TO THIS DISCUSSION POST The Question:

What does it mean to be an extremophile? Describe one extremophile condition and explain how it would relate to the environment that a prokaryote is growing within. How might it alter their growth cycle/curve?

The Person's Response:

Halobacterium are bacteria that are either rods are cocci and require a relatively large amount of salt to thrive. A lot of the proteins that they contain will not function properly or at all in a low sodium environment. Halobacterium are found in the Dead Sea, the Great Salt Lake, and other places that are favorable to their physiology. Their preferred temperatures are around 37 degrees Celsius, which is generally the optimum temperature for most bacteria. So they aren't thermophiles, but do thrive in a different extreme condition.